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Miscellaneous

Figure 1. "The spider"

This exercise is a good general exercise for your picking hand and fretting hand. It also gets you used to playing the finger-per-fret method. Make sure you use all of your fingers for each group of four notes, don't leave out your pinkie finger.

E----------------------------6789-------
B-----------------------5678------78910-
G------------------4567-----------------
D-------------3456----------------------
A--------2345---------------------------
E---1234--------------------------------

Finger 2 (a).

Try to use alternate picking on this exercise but if not then down strokes are fine.

E-----------------------------------------------
B-----------------------------------------------
G--1---2---3---4---2---3---4---5---3---4---5---6
D--3---4---1---2---4---5---2---3---5---6---3---4
A-----------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------

Finger 2 (b).

Here's a variation that uses octave chords. It's a bit more of a stretch.

E-----------------------------------------------
B-----------------------------------------------
G--1---2---3---4---2---3---4---5---3---4---5---6
D-----------------------------------------------
A--3---4---1---2---4---5---2---3---5---6---3---4
E-----------------------------------------------

Finger 2 (c).

Another variation. This is even more of a stretch.

E-----------------------------------------------
B--1---2---3---4---2---3---4---5---3---4---5---6
G-----------------------------------------------
D-----------------------------------------------
A--3---4---1---2---4---5---2---3---5---6---3---4
E-----------------------------------------------

Figure 3. "The Slinky"

This exercise is good for alternate picking and sweep picking. If you alternate pick then it may help to accent the first note as you descend and the first note as you ascend. The pattern carries on up the fretboard but you could try it in the opposite direction.

E---------8--5---------------9--6---------------
B-------7------6-----------8------7-------------
G-----6----------7------7-----------8-----------
D---5--------------8--6---------------9---------
A-----------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------

Figure 4. "The Worm"

Hold all the notes down as a chord and keep them held against the fretboard throughout the exercise. It will stretch your fingers, which is good as long as you don't strain yourself. If it hurts then you should stop.

E---------8---------7---------7-------7--------7
B-------9---------9---------8-------8--------8--
G----10--------10--------10-------9--------9----
D-11--------11--------11-------11-------10------
A-----------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------

If this is too much of a stretch then try the same exercise further up the fretboard where the frets are smaller.